Harper, Baptiste bag Trinidad and Tobago 100m titles

Ann Baptiste respectively captured the men’s and women’s 100 metres on Day one of the Sagicor National Open Track and Field Championships, at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago, on Saturday (24).

Harper regained the title he had claimed in 2003, while Zenith’s Baptiste made a successful defence of her women’s crown.

The men’s final was keenly contested, Harper and his Rebirth teammate Richard Thompson battling tenaciously for supremacy. Harper eventually prevailed, getting home in a season-best 10.25 seconds, just ahead of Thompson, who picked up silver in a personal best 10.27. Aaron Armstrong was third in 10.34.

Baptiste was in a class of her own in the women’s 100m championship race. By the halfway point, the 19-year-old Zenith sprinter had separated herself from the field. Baptiste then cruised to the line, brushing aside a 1.6 metres per second headwind to stop the clock in 11.44 seconds.

Rhonda Watkins was the class of the women’s Long Jump field, winning with a 6.35 metres leap.